June 5, Happy World Environment Day!
Earth is facing a tremendous impact: the climate changes too fast for people and nature to adapt and pollution continues to poison our air, land and water.
The good news is the environmental issue has been a major global concern these years. Many countries are taking action to protect our planet.
South Korea
The Ministry of Environment of South Korea has announced a long-term project in 2018. They cooperate with 16 popular chain of coffee shops and 5 world-renowned fast food restaurants to change the disposable beverage cups to more eco-friendly material. In order to encourage people to use reusable green cups, the coffee shops and the restaurants also offer a 10% discount to customers who bring their own one.
The government also announced to stop providing single-use plastic cups indoor. Take-out cups are also prohibited for use inside. They expect to reduce 50% of the plastic waste by 2030.
Thailand
In 2018, the Thai government pushed a policy to limit the use of plastic bags. Disposable plastic products such as plastic bags, straws, styrofoam and plastic cups, bowls and plates are prohibited in the 154 national parks across the country.
From 2020, 75 of the company chains are no longer offer plastic bags for free, including supermarkets and convenience stores.
France
To reduce the 180 thousand tons of single-use plastics produced by the catering industry in France every year, the French government has set a schedule for limiting plastics:
-Replace all food deliveries with reusable containers by 2022.
-Make all dine in tableware reusable in restaurants, hotels and coffee shops by 2023.
-Reduce 50% of the usage of plastic bottles by 2030.
-Phase out all single-use plastic packaging by 2040.
Canada
The Canadian government bans single-use plastics nationwide by the end of 2021, including plastic shopping bags, cutlery, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings and hard-to-recycle food containers. The ban is a part of achieving zero plastic waste by 2030.
In Oceania, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands, Palau, and many provinces in Australia have banned the use of plastic bags.
In Latin America, the Republic of Chile is the first country to stop using plastic bags. Costa Rica becomes the first country in the world to prohibit all single-use plastic products in 2021.
There is only one earth and it is our duty to protect it. Let us take good care of our planet and start to bring our own bag and cup.